Below average — CMS composite of the measures below.
The next survey window likely opens around April 2027
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of July 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Life Care Center Of Hixson during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
A CNA disconnected and flushed a resident’s PICC line even though PICC care was ordered for licensed nurses and was outside CNA scope. The resident had a PICC for infection-related treatment, and staff later described the line as not clamped with bleeding noted. RN staff, the LPN UCC, the interim DON, and the MD all confirmed that CNAs were not authorized or trained to perform PICC care.
Menu Portion Sizes Not Followed for Lunch Entree: Kitchen staff did not follow the approved portion sizes for the turkey and dumplings lunch entree, serving regular-texture and mechanically altered/pureed portions smaller than the menu called for. An RD confirmed the portions were less than intended, and the ED stated staff were expected to follow the approved menu.
Failure to Assess Resident for Self-Administration of Medications: A resident with dx including metabolic encephalopathy and dementia had intact cognition on MDS, but the facility did not complete the required IDT assessment for self-administration or obtain a physician order for multiple OTC vitamins and supplements kept in the room. Staff gave conflicting statements about whether residents could self-administer meds brought from home, and the resident stated no test or self-assessment had been done.
A resident with lung cancer and breast cancer requested PRN oxycodone for severe pain, but an RN told the resident it would be given later and did not administer it at that time. The RN later said a computer system glitch prevented administration, and the MAR showed the medication was given nearly 3 hours after the request.
CNA Flushed and Disconnected Resident PICC Line
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a CNA did not operate outside the scope of practice when he disconnected and flushed a resident’s PICC line. The resident was admitted with a diagnosis of infection and inflammatory reaction due to an internal left hip prosthesis and had orders for heparin lock flush solution to be used to flush and lock the PICC line after normal saline flushes. The care plan identified the resident as having a PICC line due to an infection and directed licensed nurses to assess the site and flush/lock it as ordered. According to the resident’s statement, the CNA used a syringe to flush the PICC line, after which the line was not clamped and there was a lot of blood. The resident also reported that the doctor came to assess the PICC line. The CNA wrote that he noticed the resident’s infusion machine was beeping, turned it off, sanitized his hands, put on gloves, sanitized the PICC line, pressed pause on the machine, capped the line, and then used a syringe with normal saline found in the resident’s room to flush the PICC line. He stated he was never trained by the facility on how to handle a resident’s PICC line and did it to help the nurses out. RN #2 stated she witnessed the CNA disconnect the resident’s PICC line and told him he could not handle it because she would take over the care. The LPN unit care coordinator stated a CNA was not allowed to do anything with a resident’s PICC line because the CNA was not licensed or trained. The interim DON and the former DON both stated CNAs would not be trained to care for a PICC line because it was outside their scope of practice. The MD later stated the PICC line had been not clamped and the connection to the needle was not present when he examined the resident.
Menu Portion Sizes Not Followed for Lunch Entree
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow the approved menu serving size for the turkey and dumpling entree served at lunch, affecting 76 of 83 residents who received food from the kitchen. The facility Diet Type Report dated 05/01/2026 listed 83 residents on diet orders, including one resident on finger foods, one on a vegetarian diet, one on a full liquid diet, and four residents who were NPO. The facility Diet SpreadSheet for the lunch meal indicated residents were to receive a #6 scoop of chicken and dumplings, and an undated Scoop Chart showed a #6 scoop held 5 oz and a #12 scoop held 2.5 oz. During the lunch tray line observation on 04/29/2026 at 11:31 AM, staff member #9 used a ladle to serve regular turkey and dumplings and a green-handled scoop to serve mechanically altered and pureed turkey and dumplings. In interview, staff member #9 stated she used a 4 oz ladle for the regular turkey and dumplings and a #12 scoop for the mechanically altered and pureed turkey and dumplings. The RD stated a #6 scoop held between 5 to 6 oz and a 4 oz ladle held 4 oz, meaning the regular-texture residents were served at least 1 oz less than planned, and that the #12 scoop equated to 2.67 oz, meaning residents on mechanically altered and pureed diets were also served less than the intended portion. The RD stated that serving too small of a portion could cause residents to lose weight, and the ED stated the expectation was for kitchen staff to follow the portion sizes on the approved menu.
Failure to Assess Resident for Self-Administration of Medications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure one resident was assessed for the ability to self-administer medications. The facility policy titled, Self-Administration of Medication, required the interdisciplinary team, in consultation with the primary physician, to assess the resident’s cognitive, physical, and visual ability, document the assessment in the electronic medication record, review the results with the resident and/or responsible party, and obtain a physician order if the resident was determined able to self-administer. Resident #81 was admitted with diagnoses including metabolic encephalopathy and dementia, and the admission MDS showed a BIMS score of 14, indicating intact cognition. However, the care plan contained no focus area indicating the resident could self-administer medications. During observation, the resident had a shoe box in the room containing nine over-the-counter vitamins and supplements, including PreserVision, Prevagen, Align, Nutrafol, vitamin D3, a stool softener, Blink NutriTears, melatonin, and Bye Bye Bloat. The resident stated they took supplements at home and wanted to continue taking their own supplements at the facility. The order summary showed no physician orders for the supplements found in the room. An LPN UCC stated residents were allowed to self-administer medications brought from home, while the LPN admissions nurse stated residents could only self-administer after screening, passing an observation test, and having a physician order. The resident stated no test or self-assessment had been completed, and the interim DON stated residents who desired to self-administer were to be assessed and have a physician order, with the medications listed on the eMAR and kept in a locked drawer. The Executive Director stated staff had been trained and were expected to follow the facility policy.
Delayed Administration of PRN Pain Medication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure staff administered as-needed pain medication when requested for a resident with lung cancer and breast cancer. The resident was admitted on 04/22/2026 and had a care plan focus area for pain/discomfort with interventions directing staff to administer pain medications as ordered. The resident also had an active order for oxycodone hydrochloride 10 mg by mouth every six hours as needed for pain. During medication administration observation on 04/28/2026 at 8:27 AM, the resident told RN #2 that they had pain rated 9 out of 10 and requested pain medication. RN #2 told the resident she would administer the pain medication later. In a later interview, the resident stated the nurse had not returned to give the medication. RN #2 stated she had not administered the medication because of a glitch in the facility's computer system that needed to be corrected before she could give it. The MAR showed the oxycodone was administered at 11:23 AM, 2 hours and 56 minutes after the resident requested it.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Hixson
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life Care Center Of Red Bank | 6.2 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Soddy-daisy Health Care Center | 6.3 mi | ★★★★★ | 5 | 0 |
| Nhc Healthcare, Chattanooga | 8 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Ascension Living Alexian Village Tennessee | 8 mi | ★★★★★ | 10 | 0 |
| The Health Center At Standifer Place | 8.4 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 2026) and official state health department websites.